Document Procurement & Legalisation
Hudson McKenzie provides document procurement and legalisation services for individuals, employers and international businesses managing immigration and global mobility requirements.
We assist with obtaining, authenticating, attesting, legalising and translating documents required by immigration authorities, embassies, consulates and government departments worldwide.
Immigration and international relocation applications frequently depend on documents being obtained and processed correctly before an application can proceed.
Depending on the destination country and immigration route, documents may need to be certified, authenticated, notarised, apostilled, attested, legalised or translated before they will be accepted by the relevant authority.
Hudson McKenzie coordinates the document process for individuals, employees, senior executives, business owners, dependants, HR teams and Global Mobility professionals.
Our team first considers the relevant immigration route, destination country and document requirements before advising on the appropriate procurement, authentication or legalisation process.
We can assist with documents originating in one jurisdiction and required for use in another, helping clients manage what can otherwise involve multiple issuing authorities, notaries, embassies, consulates, translators and courier providers.
Document Procurement & Legalisation Services
Document Procurement, Authentication and Legalisation
Hudson McKenzie can coordinate a wide range of document procurement and legalisation requirements, including:
- Government and official document procurement
- Certified copies
- Document authentication
- Notarisation and certification
- Apostille services
- Embassy and consular legalisation
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) attestation
- Educational certificate attestation
- Professional qualification attestation
- Marriage certificate attestation
- Birth certificate attestation
- Police clearance certificate procurement and legalisation
- Corporate document legalisation
- Power of attorney legalisation
- Certified translation coordination
- Document collection and courier arrangements
- International document delivery
Requirements vary considerably between jurisdictions. We therefore assess the intended use of the document and the destination country before confirming the appropriate process.
Educational, Professional and Personal Documents
Educational and professional qualifications are commonly required as part of immigration, employment and professional registration processes.
Hudson McKenzie can assist with documents including:
- University degree certificates
- Diplomas
- Academic transcripts
- Professional qualifications
- Training certificates
- Professional licences
- Membership certificates
- Other qualification documents
Where required, these documents can be coordinated through the relevant certification, authentication, attestation, legalisation and translation process.
We also assist with personal documentation required for immigration and dependant applications, including:
- Marriage certificates
- Birth certificates
- Adoption documents
- Divorce documents
- Custody documentation
- Other evidence of family relationships
The precise documentary requirements depend on the jurisdiction and immigration route concerned.
Police Clearance and Corporate Documents
Certain immigration and residency applications require applicants to provide police clearance certificates or other criminal record documentation.
Where permitted by the relevant authority, Hudson McKenzie can assist with the procurement and processing of these certificates, together with any required authentication, legalisation or translation.
International business expansion and corporate immigration projects may also require company documents to be authenticated or legalised.
These can include:
- Certificates of incorporation
- Commercial registration documents
- Company extracts
- Board resolutions
- Shareholder resolutions
- Powers of attorney
- Employment-related corporate documentation
- Company licences
- Corporate authorisations
Corporate document legalisation can be particularly relevant where an organisation is establishing a branch, subsidiary, regional headquarters or other presence in another jurisdiction.
Supporting Corporate Immigration and Global Mobility
Document legalisation is often a critical part of an international employee relocation.
Depending on the immigration route and destination, employees may need to provide evidence relating to:
- Educational qualifications
- Professional qualifications
- Previous employment
- Personal identity
- Marital status
- Family relationships
- Police or criminal record checks
- Corporate authority
- Company ownership
- Professional registration
- Powers of attorney
Some documents must have been issued recently, while others may require several stages of authentication or legalisation before they can be used.
Hudson McKenzie can work directly with employers, HR departments, Global Mobility teams, People teams and external advisers to manage employee documentation as part of a wider immigration programme.
Our service can support a single international relocation or a larger programme involving multiple employees and accompanying family members.
How Hudson McKenzie Can Help
Hudson McKenzie provides a coordinated approach to document procurement and legalisation for immigration and international mobility matters.
For individuals and families, we can assist with qualification documents, civil status certificates, police clearance documents, translations and other documentation required for visa, residency and dependant applications.
For employers and international businesses, we can manage document requirements for employees, senior executives and their dependants, including educational certificates, professional qualifications and corporate documents.
Using a single point of contact can reduce the need to coordinate separately with issuing authorities, notaries, government departments, embassies, consulates, translators and courier providers.
Where document procurement or legalisation forms part of a wider international relocation, our team can also advise on the associated immigration requirements and coordinate the documentation alongside the relevant application.
For advice on document procurement, apostille, attestation, authentication or legalisation requirements, speak to Hudson McKenzie about the documents and jurisdictions involved.
Frequently Asked Questions About Document Procurement & Legalisation
The documents required depend on the immigration route and destination country. Common examples include educational certificates, professional qualifications, marriage certificates, birth certificates, police clearance certificates and certain corporate documents.
Document legalisation is a process used to confirm that a document or the signature, seal or authority associated with it can be recognised for official use in another jurisdiction. The exact process varies depending on where the document was issued and where it will be used.
An apostille is a form of authentication that may allow certain public documents to be recognised between participating jurisdictions. Whether an apostille is appropriate depends on the country where the document was issued and the country where it will be used.
In some jurisdictions and for certain immigration, employment or professional registration processes, educational qualifications may need to be authenticated or attested. The requirement should be checked against the relevant immigration route, occupation and destination.
Where the relevant issuing authority permits third-party procurement or collection, Hudson McKenzie can assist with obtaining documents and coordinating any subsequent certification, authentication, legalisation, attestation or translation requirements.
Yes. We can coordinate documentation for an individual employee or as part of a wider corporate immigration and Global Mobility programme involving multiple employees and their dependants.
Some immigration authorities require documents issued in another language to be translated, and may specify particular certification requirements for the translation. Hudson McKenzie can coordinate the appropriate translation process where required.
Yes, marriage certificates, birth certificates and other civil status documents commonly require authentication or legalisation for use in family, dependant and residency applications. The required process depends on the issuing and destination countries.
Yes. Documents such as certificates of incorporation, company extracts, board resolutions, powers of attorney and company licences may require legalisation when establishing or operating a business in another jurisdiction.
Timescales depend on the document, issuing authority, country of origin, destination country and the stages of authentication or legalisation required. Hudson McKenzie can provide an indicative timeframe once the document requirements have been assessed.

